but also eliminate some of the special interests tax breaks that disproportionately benefit a very wealthy people. and unfortunately, today, our colleagues refused to come together to negotiate that. in fact, today earlier today, over in the senate, harry reid, the democratic leader simply asked for permission to go to conference on the budget. and the republican leadership in both the senate and the house right now is refusing to appoint conferrees. having called over the last two years for us to go through the regular order on the budget, they're now standing in the way of moving forward to bridge those differences on the budget. in fact i'm introducing a resolution later today simply to call upon the house to move forward in a transparent way, to negotiate these differences on the budget. >> thank you, congressman and i know you would not say that music and art is an extra, that that is music and art education for the kids in the district of columbia, is an essential part of an education. just to make the point. >> these are very important parts of a kid's well-rounded education. and yo